128 



HARD WICKE'S S CIENC E- G OSS IP. 



BOTANICAL WORK FOR JUNE. 



THE lateness of the present botanical season 

 will enable us somewhat to mitigate the con- 

 fusion which prevails about Cardamine hirsuta and 

 C. sylvatica ; perhaps a few words will make them 

 more easily understood. It is very likely that only 

 one plant (C. hirsuta) has been examined by many 

 workers, hence the confusion. 



1. C. sylvatica (Link). Biennial, radical. Leaves 

 veiy few. Leaflets large, light green. Lower leaflets 

 only on short petioles distinctly lobed. 



2. C. hirsuta (Linn.). Annual, radical. Leaves in a 

 dense rosette. Leaflets all on short petioles, small, 

 dark green. 



No. I is our common species, No. 2 is frequently 

 ssen by waysides. 



Herb Robert, or Stinking Crane's Bill, now makes 

 many a shady lane gay with its fern-like leaves and 

 elegant blossoms. Let us spend a few hours during 

 the present season in looking over its many pecu- 

 liarities : first, we shall find it can adapt itself to all 

 kinds of conceivable situations, then we shall observe 

 it differs widely in appearance and habit : thus, at 

 least, three distinct varieties are met with. 



1. Geranium Robertianum (Linn.), (proper). A large 

 straggling plant covered with glandular hairs. Claw 

 of pets, equal in length to the blade. Carpels hairy. 



2. G. modes turn (Jord.). A smaller plant, with 

 more tufted habit, nearly or quite glabrous (smooth). 



Fig. in. — Leaflet of C. 

 hirsuta. 



Fig. no. — Leaflet of Cardamine 

 sylvatica. 



The illustrations are of the natural size. 



Vegetation of every kind is backward ; this is the 

 latest spring we have ever known, but we shall find 

 the silver-weed plentiful during the present month. 

 The name Potentilla anserina (Linn.) is made to 

 cover two very dissimilar forms in our English Floras ; 

 having met with them in many counties, we have the 

 more confidence in bringing them before our readers, 

 and for this purpose have adopted the names in Fl. 

 des Environs dc Paris. 



1. Potentilla incana (Cuss, et Germ.). A large plant. 

 Leaves densely covered with silvery down on both sides. 



2. P. pusilla (Cuss, et Germ.). A smaller species, 

 known by its compact rosette of radical leaves, 

 which lie close to the ground, seldom, or with but 

 few hairs on upper surface. 



Fig. ii2. — Herb-Robert (Geranium Robertianum). 



Claw of pet. much longer than the blade. Carpels 

 glabrous. 



3. G. purpureum (Jord.). A beautiful plant, veins 

 of leaves and internodes tinged with pink. Pets, 

 purple. Leaves finely cut and divided. 



Nos. 1 and 3 are our lowland species ; the smooth 

 plant, No. 2, is found on hills; we generally expect 

 to find it in gravel pits. 



The common Stork's-bill is now worthy of notice, 

 although it is an unpleasant plant to handle. 



4. Erodium cicutarium (Linn.) wherever it occurs, is 

 generally seen in abundance, and probably the varieties 

 named below are not uncommon in most districts. 



5. E. cicutarium (proper) has flowers whose pets, 

 are not spotted, and carpels furrowed. Leaves small, 

 not much divided. 



6. E. commixtum (Jord.), a larger and coarser- 

 looking plant. Leaves not unlike E. moschatum. 

 Upper pets, distinctly spotted at the base. 



